Report by John Patrick Heeley

Jason De Vos' fourth goal of the season was enough to ensure Wigan took all three points against relegation threatened Huddersfield Town at the JJB Stadium. His goal on the stroke of half time came after the Canadian centre half had cleared off the line as The Terriers threatened a shock.

Jason De Vos' fourth goal of the season gave Wigan all three points against relegation threatened Huddersfield Town at the JJB Stadium but the Canadian defender had a helping hand in helping John Filan set a new club record for consecutive clean sheets in the Football League.

The previous mark of 5 had been set just over 24 years ago by John Brown in Wigan's first ever season in the league but of the 5 games only 4 had been wins with a goalless draw amongst that run whereas the Australian keeper's feat has also seen the club win 6 consecutive league games, something that the club has only achieved on two previous occasions; between 22/2/86 & 22/3/86 and 26/12/87 & 23/1/88.

The win also stretches Wigan's lead at the top of Division Two to 4 points after Bristol City could only manage a draw at home to Luton Town, allowing Cardiff to keep hold of second place following their win at Colchester on Friday night.

Huddersfield manager Mick Wadsworth had former Wigan favourite Kevin Sharp in his starting line up and also named striker Andy Booth who was playing in only his second game in 2½ months after returning from injury.

Steve McMillan returned to the Wigan starting eleven with Lee McCulloch and Andy Liddell both making the bench after all three recovered from their respective injuries.

Gary Teale began the game as Scott Green's name was missing from the team sheet, plus that of Leighton Baines and Mike Flynn as Paul Jewell shuffled his team around to make way for the returning trio.

Wigan started the stronger of the two sides and showed their intentions in the 6th minute when Nathan Ellington got his head on the end of a Gary Teale cross but 6' 5" keeper Scott Bevan, currently on loan from Southampton, managed to put the ball behind for a corner kick.

The first real attack of note from the visitors came 10 minutes later following continuous pressure from Wigan but all Huddersfield had to show from a Jonathan Stead ball into the box was a corner.

Huddersfield's leading scorer last season Andy Booth headed over Filan's bar in the 20th minute before Stead was thwarted by a well timed tackle from Jason De Vos as he closed in on goal.

Peter Kennedy went close to scoring his first ever senior goal in a Wigan shirt after 25 minutes but his shot from just outside the area was parried away by Bevan but only as far as Gary Teale out on the right whose centre found Ellington who unfortunately ended the attack when he headed over.

John Filan was plainly pleased with his skipper just before the half hour mark when he threw himself across the goal line to prevent Martin Smith from becoming the first player to score a league goal against Latics since the end of October when Andy Thomson levelled the score for QPR. Filan thanked De Vos for his actions by diving on top of him in the goal mouth.

Tony Dinning's stunning 25 yarder was only kept out by a fine Bevan save after 35 minutes. Wigan pressure in the Huddersfield penalty area ended when the ball fell invitingly to Dinning whose cracked it first time and with the ball seemingly heading for the top corner Bevan stretched out to tip the ball over for another Wigan corner.

Minutes later Steve McMillan went close when he got on the end of a Gary Teale free kick but Bevan was again equal to it but the vistors goal was finally breached right on the stroke of half time.

Wigan earned themselves a corner on the right which Northern Ireland international Peter Kennedy sent over into a crowded goalmouth. JASON DE VOS burst through at the near post and nodded home his fourth of the season to give his side the lead.

Wadsworth made an enforced change early in the second half with striker Andy Booth replaced by Paul Scott with the former Sheffield Wednesday frontman struggling with a knock picked up before the break.

Within minutes of the restart Ellington saw an effort pushed around the post by the Huddersfield keeper and just before the hour mark put another wide of the mark from a Gary Teale cross.

Paul Mitchell, a 58th minute replacement for Jason Jarrett, was agonisingly close to bagging his first ever Latics goal with 20 minutes remaining when his shot glanced inches wide of the post following good approach work from the substitute.

Andy Liddell received a standing ovation in the 79th minute he made his first appearance since limping off against Manchester City over seven weeks before.

His introduction to the proceedings came at the expense of Nathan Ellington as Liddell took his place alongside Neil Roberts in attack and the partnership almost bore fruit within minutes as Liddell's ball into the box found the Welshman but his shot was collected by the hard working Bevan.

Tony Dinning thought he had doubled the deficit in the 86th minute, as did the vast majority of the crowd, but stand in referee Mike Pike ruled out the goal listing a push in the area during the build up as the reason for his decision.

The Wigan manager is still refusing to get carried away as his side continue their run of good form, perhaps not wishing to count his chickens or something of the like.

However with a Boxing Day trip to Port Vale, the only side to beat Wigan at the JJB in the league this season, and then two home games in less than a week, a second consecutive Manager of the Month Award could bring a smile to his face.